Department for Transport

High Speed 2 Railway Line

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to address the concerns about the lack of financial controls and the risk of fraud and financial errors with regard to HS2 raised by the Public Accounts Committee in its reportHigh Speed 2 Annual Report and Accounts, published in December 2017.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport accepted and has implemented all four recommendations made by the Public Accounts Committee in their report High Speed 2 Annual Reports and Accounts. Actions taken by both my Department and HS2 Limited include a revised version of the Framework Document, which governs the relationship between the two organisations, that was published in May 2018. A new governance regime has also been embedded in HS2 Limited and mandatory training has been provided for all the company’s staff to ensure that they understand their responsibilities regarding managing public money. Full details of the Department’s responses are provided in the Treasury Minutes published on 1st March 2018 which is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/treasury-minutes-1-march-2018 and available in the Libraries of the House.

High Speed Two

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what major changes were incorporated in the Framework Document between the Secretary of State for Transport and HS2 dated May 2018 compared with the previous version; and what budgets, programmes and other commitments have been transferred, retained or altered from the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Transport to the Chief Executive of HS2.

baroness sugg: The Framework Document for HS2 dated May 2018 clarifies the relationship between HS2 and the Department for Transport and respective accountabilities and governance. The 2018 document is available in the House library. The version of the previous Framework Document, dated December 2014, is attached. The Framework Document should be considered alongside the Development Agreement in order to understand the full controls environment and the operational relationship between HS2 Ltd and the Department. In respect of budgets and programmes, the Department extends financial delegations to HS2 Ltd to facilitate the delivery of the HS2 programme. These delegations are amended from time to time, reflecting the business needs of HS2 Ltd.



High Speed 2 Ltd Framework Document (Dec 2014)
(PDF Document, 9.71 MB)

High Speed 2 Railway Line

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what private sector funding options are available to funding the capital costs of HS2, given the scale of the project and the uncertainty of its cost estimates.

baroness sugg: There are no uncertainties around the HS2 programme’s cost estimates. The cost estimates are subject to rigorous assurance processes, including external assurance and scrutiny prior to each major decision being taken on the programme. We are determined that the HS2 programme will be delivered within the £55.7bn Funding Envelope. As the project develops, opportunities may arise whereby there could be potential to secure private sector investment in railway infrastructure, rolling stock or station developments with the aim to reduce the cost to the taxpayer. However, currently our assumption remains that the funding will be provided in large part by central Government.

High Speed Two: Directors

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government why HS2 had six Land & Property Directors in a five year period; and which of them were qualified chartered surveyors.

baroness sugg: Of the six HS2 Ltd Land and Property Directors over the last five years, four of these have been qualified Chartered Surveyors. The reasons for changes in this role vary from individual to individual but include replacing short term contractors, the relocation to Birmingham, and the need to appoint new hires as the role has evolved and grown alongside the project.

Northern Rail Franchise

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to break up the Northern Rail franchise into smaller geographical areas; and if so, when.

baroness sugg: Our first priority is to stabilise the current situation and improve journeys for passengers. There is substantial investment currently taking place, and breaking up the franchise could cause further and significant disruption. We have established an inquiry where the Department for Transport will assess Northern’s planning, risk assessment and resilience in preparing for the May timetable change and await results of that inquiry to establish next steps.

Northern: Tickets

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of journeys on Northern Rail are undertaken by passengers using a (1) season ticket, (2) monthly travel card, and (3) weekly travel card.

baroness sugg: The Department for Transport does not hold this information. This information is commercial data held by Arriva Rail North, the train operating company of the Northern franchise.

Air Traffic Control

lord selkirk of douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to take steps to ensure no future allocation of lower airspace takes place until a policy on the allocation of lower airspace has been agreed and implemented by the Civil Aviation Authority.

baroness sugg: Airspace is allocated in accordance with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) classifications of airspace. As set out in the Civil Aviation Authority (Air Navigation) Directions 2017, the CAA is responsible for the policy on the classification of UK airspace, how this is implemented, as well as its modification through the CAA’s airspace change process. The government has no plans to review this.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Guatemala: Volcanoes

baroness kinnock of holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what supportthey are providingto the government and people of Guatemalafollowing the Fuego volcano eruption.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is supporting Guatemala as it responds to this tragedy. We are providing funds for the emergency response in Guatemala through the Start Fund. Teams in the UK are providing support with satellite imaging and hazard mapping of the volcano, which we hope will aid ongoing risk assessments and search and rescue efforts. We have offered further assistance to the Guatemalan Government if required.

Turkey: Press Freedom

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister raised concerns over press freedoms in Turkey with the Presidentof Turkeyduring his visit to the UK on 13to 15 May.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Prime Minister raised her concerns over these issues with President Erdogan during his visit. She underlined to the President that the UK wanted to see democratic values and international human rights obligations upheld. We will continue to engage with Turkey on these important issues.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Iran to secure the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe; and whether they have issued a formal diplomatic note protesting against the new charges brought against her.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We remain very concerned about all our dual nationals detained in Iran. We continue to raise their cases with the Iranian government at every opportunity, and make decisions in line with what we believe will produce the best outcomes in their cases. However, we will not be providing a continuous commentary. We judge this will not be helpful, or in the best interest of each case.

South Sudan: Armed Conflict

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support efforts to end conflict in South Sudan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government is engaging closely with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), countries in the region, and the parties to the conflict to give peace the best chance of success. We are supporting IGAD's efforts to revitalise the 2015 peace agreement through its High Level Revitalisation Forum.We are urging IGAD to take action against those who have violated the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, signed in December by all parties. The UK also continues to explore all possible avenues that we can take in international forums such as the UN and the EU to increase pressure on spoilers of peace.

Israel: Gaza

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the killing of Palestinian volunteer paramedic Razan al-Najjar by Israeli forces on 1 June; and what assessment they have made of the case for referring the government of Israel to the International Criminal Court for the breach of Rule 25 of the Geneva Convention.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The circumstances of Razan al Najjar’s death require urgent clarification. Any targeting of medical personnel exclusively engaged in medical duties would be unacceptable. Officials from the British Embassy in Tel Aviv raised this with the relevant Israeli authorities on 1 June. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary expressed concern about the loss of Palestinian lives during the Gaza protests when they met Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in London on 6 June. The International Criminal Court Prosecutor has been conducting a Preliminary Examination into the situation in Palestine since 2015 and on 8 April released a statement saying, “any new alleged crime committed in the context of the situation in Palestine may be subjected to my Office’s scrutiny”. The government respects her independence in this matter.

Syria: Armed Conflict

lord dobbs: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the total number of deaths as a result of the civil war in Syria since 2011.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The United Nations have estimated that over 400,000 people have been killed as a result of the civil war in Syria since the start of the conflict in 2011: we have not made our own estimate.

Russia: Sanctions

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential effect of the counter-sanctions law, signed by the President of the Russian Federation on 4 June, on (1) UK–Russia relations, (2) UK–Russia trade, (3) UK investors in Russia, and (4) Russian investors in the UK.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We have noted that President Putin signed the draft law on 4 June. It remains to be seen how the new law will be applied. We will continue to monitor the implementation of this new legislation closely, including any potential implications for UK companies.

Department of Health and Social Care

Mental Health Services

the countess of mar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce a system for reporting adverse reactions to psychiatric and psychological treatments similar to the Yellow Card Scheme for medicines; and if not, why not.

lord o'shaughnessy: There are no current plans to introduce a separate scheme for reporting adverse reactions to psychiatric and psychological treatments. The Yellow Card Scheme already includes a facility to report suspected adverse incidents associated with products used in psychiatric and psychological treatments.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) produces guidance for the National Health Service on how to treat certain health conditions, including mental health conditions and NICE clinical guidelines provide advice on the care and support that should be offered to people who use health and care services, including some therapeutic interventions for mental health. NICE guidance is based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and is developed through extensive engagement with stakeholders. NHS organisations are expected to take it fully into account in the design of services to meet the needs of their populations.NICE’s Quality Standard 14 - Service user experience in adult mental health services states that service providers should ensure systems are in place to collect feedback on the experience of care from service users and their families or carers. A copy of the Quality Standard is attached.



Service user experience in adult mental health
(PDF Document, 170.68 KB)

Department for International Development

Sierra Leone: Abortion

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations, if any, they are making to the new government of Sierra Leone regarding the Safe Abortion Act 2015 which has been passed by the Parliament of Sierra Leone and is awaiting signature by the President.

lord bates: UK support to Sierra Leone is focused on improving people’s lives and supporting the Government to make the necessary critical reforms. We welcome President Bio’s proposal to improve family planning, and will be engaging the Government on all aspects of women’s healthcare. It is crucial that women are able to make safe and informed choices that don’t risk their lives. DFID provides significant support to improving maternal health and the prevention of maternal deaths. We plan to increase family planning support through 2018.

European Development Fund

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the peace-keeping activities of the EU currently managed by the European Development Fund.

lord bates: The UK currently contributes to the European Development Fund (EDF) as part of its obligations as a Member State. For the period covering 2014-2018, 5.2% of the EDF was directed towards African-led peacekeeping, through the African Peace Facility. The European Commission has recently published plans that would see future support to peace-keeping activities, currently managed by the European Development Fund, routed through a newly proposed European Peace Facility under the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF). The UK will have left the EU when this comes into force in January 2021. After we have left the EU the UK will decide how best to fund the priorities previously funded through our EU contributions.

ACP Countries: EU External Relations

the earl of sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to opt into any future successor to the Cotonou Agreement.

lord bates: The UK government welcomes the EU’s intention to involve a broad range of actors in the EU’s post-2020 partnership with African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. This is of particular interest to us as we consider the UK’s future partnership with the EU. We will only continue our development collaboration with the EU where it is in our mutual interest and represents the best value for taxpayers’ money. As the successor to the current Cotonou agreement is still subject to negotiation between the EU and ACP countries, it is not yet possible to determine whether it will be in the UK’s best interests to seek to join any future agreement. We will continue to participate in those discussions while we remain an EU Member State.

Department for Education

Literacy: Education

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether teachers who deliver support in Literacy Hubs are required to hold qualifications in special educational needs.

lord agnew of oulton: Each of our 35 new English Hubs will deploy five practising teachers to deliver support to local schools. These teachers will not be required to hold specific qualifications in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The department would expect all teachers to be aware of the Teachers’ Standards and to have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND, and be able to use and evaluate distinctive teaching approaches to engage and support them. Trainee teachers are also assessed against these standards. The deparment will work with the Centre of Excellence for Literacy Teaching and individual English Hubs, once in place, to appoint and train a range of excellent candidates to the role of literacy specialist, including those with a background in SEND.

Ministry of Justice

Family Courts: Domestic Violence

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to introduce legislation to ban the practice of alleged domestic abusers cross-examining their alleged victims in the family courts.

lord keen of elie: We remain fully committed to addressing the issue of abusers directly cross-examining their victims in family proceedings. We want to legislate to give family courts the power to stop this as soon as possible and are considering how best to proceed. Family judges already have a range of powers they can use to make sure difficult courtroom situations are handled sensitively for vulnerable witnesses, such as putting questions to the witness from the bench.

Marriage: Humanism

baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group's report,Any Lawful Impediment; and whether they intend to legally recognise humanist marriage in England and Wales.

lord keen of elie: The Government welcomes the engagement of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist group and we are giving careful consideration to the findings of the group’s inquiry.

Slavery: Prosecutions

baroness stroud: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people were prosecuted under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in each year since it came into force;and what were their (1) nationalities, (2) ages, and (3) genders.

lord keen of elie: The number of defendants prosecuted under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in England and Wales, from 2015 to 2017, can be found in the table, split by sex and age. Information on nationality is not centrally held by the Ministry of Justice.Number of people prosecuted under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 by age and sex, 2015(1)(2) Male FemaleUnknown Total Age10-14----15-17----18-20----21-24-1-125+91111Unknown---- Total92112 Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.Ref: PQ HL8459 - = nil(1) The figures given in the table relate to defendants for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.(2) There can be a delay between the commencement of new offences and seeing them in court data, primarily due to the time it takes for an offence to be investigated, the police to assign it an outcome, and the prosecution, before resulting in a completed court case Figures for 2018 are planned for publication in May 2019.

Department for International Trade

Overseas Investment: Turkey

lord patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they make available to UK businesses investing in Turkey; and whether they will publish any such advice.

baroness fairhead: The Department for International Trade (DIT) advises UK businesses considering the Turkish market, and established UK investors in Turkey, on an individual basis, alongside our strategic business delivery partner the British Chamber of Commerce in Turkey. DIT offers a range of practical support, such as local introductions and sector-specific guidance, political and economic briefings, and business events. Supporting businesses to invest overseas and reach their full potential is an important priority for the Department as we strive to create a global and outward looking economy. General guidance on accessing DIT support in Turkey is available on the .gov websites: www.gov.uk and www.great.gov.uk

Ministry of Defence

Israel: Military Aid

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what training programmes are delivered by the British army and Joint Forces Command to (1) the Israeli Defence Force in Israel and (2) security forces in the Occupied Territories.

earl howe: The British Army and Joint Forces Command do not provide training to the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) in Israel, although representatives do participate in Israeli-hosted conferences and visits to share knowledge and experience. Some education and training activities are provided to IDF personnel in the UK, including at the Royal College of Defence Studies.In the Occupied Palestine Territories (OPTs), the UK Ministry of Defence provides several training programmes to the Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF). In the financial year 2017-18 the British Support Team based in Ramallah oversaw the delivery of the following courses to members of the PASF in the OPTs: Building Integrity for Senior Leaders; Strategic leadership; Conflict resolution; Training Needs Analysis; English language; Quality assurance and continual improvement of training delivery; Lessons identification; Media skills. The UK has also provided education and training to PASF personnel in the UK.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Animal Welfare

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following completion of pre-legislative scrutiny by the House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairsof the draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill, when they expect to introduce such a Bill before Parliament.

lord gardiner of kimble: The public consultation on the draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill closed on the 31 January 2018. We are currently considering the responses and will be responding shortly.

Animal Welfare

lord allen of kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings they have had with animal welfare organisations campaigning for five-year sentences for animal cruelty, including Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, since the consultation on the draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill closed.

lord gardiner of kimble: We have held several meetings with animal welfare organisations on a variety of subjects including this one.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration theyhave given to the findingsof the report Preparing Brexit: How ready is Whitehall? by the Institute for Government.

lord callanan: We have noted the findings of the report from the Institute for Government, which acknowledges the huge amount of work that has taken place across Whitehall since the referendum vote.The whole of Government is working hard to ensure the UK can fully seize the opportunities offered by withdrawing from the EU, and that our preparations for exit from and new partnership with the EU are on track. Planning is going well, and we are confident that work to leave the EU will be a success.

Treasury

Offshore Funds: Panama

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what efforts they are making to secure substantial amendments to Panama's Corporation Law 32 following the publication ofOvercoming the Shadow Economy by the Freidrich Ebert Stiftung in November 2016, and other analyses of the Panama Papers and of opaque offshore financial transactions.

lord bates: Tackling the shadow economy and improving international tax transparency is a priority for this Government. We work with a range of international partners to tackle illicit financial flows, and have worked closely with Panama’s government to amend and implement key legislation before and after the so-called “Panama Papers”.Rather than focus specifically on amending Corporation Law 32, this Government continues to work with Panama on the implementation of new laws, which help it improve regulation of the sector.As part of President Varela’s visit to the UK in May 2018, the Prime Minister, Chancellor and others discussed the importance of passing and enforcing relevant legislation.

Ports: Infrastructure

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards setting up the infrastructure at ports necessary for when the UK leaves the EU.

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of claims by channel ports and cross-channel transport operators that it is too late for preparations that would avoid disruptions at ports if no deal is reached before the UK leaves the EU.

lord bates: The government is engaging directly and regularly with ports and cross-channel operators, to understand the operational implications of different EU exit proposals and to enable them to prepare in time and avoid disruption to flow of trade through those ports. The planning work with ports is taking a pragmatic approach to arrangements to ensure trade can flow and to address any risks which are raised. Plans are underway to arrange for changes to infrastructure at ports which may be required in the different exit scenarios, including any new infrastructure which may be necessary, so that there is a functioning border which supports flow of trade in any of the scenarios.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Millbank House: Floods

lord empey: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what assessment he has made of the damage caused to Millbank House by flooding in 2016 and 2018; what costs have been incurred; and what steps he intends to take to ensure the building is protected against future damage.

lord laming: The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chairman of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf.Damage caused to Millbank House as a result of flooding in 2016The flood water in June 2016 caused damage to finishes such as floors, doors and walls in the basements; following the clean-up, new floor tiles were laid to future-proof the floor finishes. There was also damage to ceilings in and around the restaurant area, and to plant and equipment in the 1 and 2 Millbank parts of the building. The total cost impact of the damage and repairs totaled approximately £84k.At the time, 5 Great College Street was a building site and damage was minimal. There was minor disruption to the project refurbishing that building, and minor clean-up costs.Damage caused to Millbank House as a result of flooding in 2018It is not believed that the flooding in May 2018 caused any permanent damage to 1 and 2 Millbank other than the loss of catering stock; all food and stock losses will be covered by House of Lords Catering and Retail Services’ commercial insurance. There is water staining to finishes such as floors, doors and walls in the basement, and deep cleaning required to the kitchen areas.In 5 Great College Street the flooding caused damage to finishes including floors, doors and walls in the basements; plant and equipment including air handling units, pressurisation pumps and lift equipment was also damaged by the water. The impact on costs within the 5 Great College Street project are still being assessed. There are two sets of costs. One is the emergency response costs including the tankers to pump water out and the clean-up operation. The second is the cost of impact, which will include repairs and the replacement of assets. The emergency response costs are currently estimated to be £200k. An assessment of the impact costs, which will take around 4-6 weeks, is in train.Steps to protect against future damageFollowing the flooding in 2016, a number of actions were taken to reduce the risk of flooding in Millbank House. Actions implemented include the sewage back flow prevention to 1 and 2 Millbank being repaired. Repair works to 1 and 2 Millbank incorporated features and materials that were less susceptible to water damage. Minor mitigation measures were incorporated into the 5 Great College Street project to prevent critical plant and equipment being seriously affected by future flooding, including waterproof bunding around critical areas and locating equipment at a higher level to reduce the risk of water damage.Since the May flooding a review of the locations of water penetration has been undertaken and a specialist independent drainage adviser has been commissioned to determine if additional protective measures can be provided in the short term. Discussions are ongoing with systems and equipment suppliers to understand if there is any improved resilience which can be incorporated into the equipment. The recommendations of the report commissioned after the 2016 flooding are being reviewed to determine actions that could be accelerated or enhanced with new lessons learnt from the recent flooding.